I read this on Chonda Pierce's Facebook page, and it struck a chord with me ... To Women who march for Women, this says it ALL:**"I am not a "disgrace to women" because I don't support the women's march. I do not feel I am a "second class citizen" because I am a woman. I do not feel my voice is "not heard" because I am a woman. I do not feel I am not provided opportunities in this life or in America because I am a woman. I do not feel that I "don't have control of my body or choices" because I am a woman. I do not feel like I am " not respected or undermined" because I am a woman. I am not a "victim" because you say I am.I AM a woman. I can make my own choices. I can speak and be heard. I can VOTE. I can work if I want. I can stay home if I want.I control my body. I can defend myself. I can defend my family. There is nothing stopping me to do anything in this world but MYSELF. I do not blame my circumstances or problems on anything other than my own choices or even that sometimes in life, we don't always get what we want. I take responsibility for myself. I am a mother, a daughter, a wife, a sister, a friend. I am not held back in life but only by the walls I choose to not go over which is a personal choice. Quit blaming. Take responsibility. If you want to speak, do so. But do not expect for me, a woman, to take you seriously wearing a pink va-jay-jay hat on your head and screaming profanities and bashing men. If you have beliefs, and speak to me in a kind matter, I will listen. But do not expect for me to change my beliefs to suit yours. Respect goes both ways. If you want to impress me, especially in regards to women, then speak on the real injustices and tragedies that affect women in foreign countries that do not that the opportunity or means to have their voices heard. Saudi Arabia, women can't drive, no rights and must always be covered. China and India, infantcide of baby girls. Afghanistan, unequal education rights. Democratic Republic of Congo, where rapes are brutal and women are left to die, or HIV infected and left to care for children alone. Mali, where women can not escape the torture of genital mutilation. Pakistan, in tribal areas where women are gang raped to pay for men's crime. Guatemala, the impoverished female underclass of Guatemala faces domestic violence, rape and the second-highest rate of HIV/AIDS after sub-Saharan Africa. An epidemic of gruesome unsolved murders has left hundreds of women dead, some of their bodies left with hate messages. Or the 7 year old girls being sold or married off to 60 year old men, Or the millions of women sold and bought into sex trafficking. And that's just a few examples. So when women get together in AMERICA and whine they don't have equal rights and march in their clean clothes, after eating a hearty breakfast, and it's like a vacation away that they have paid for to get there...This WOMAN does not support it. "​The celebrated icons you hold up like Madonna, etc. have used their bodies to sell their latest fashions, music, and projects. Ashley Judd complains that men in movies will make more millions than her millions, while single mothers in this country can barely feed their children. Most of these women leading you will leave the March in their private jets, feast with money you have spent on their products, songs and ideology. They have spent decades convincing young girls that you have to be skinny and sexy - they flaunt the very body parts they now scream should be protected. They look at the unborn as an inconvenience. Stop drinking the Kool-aid, girls. Find your leadership from women who hold onto the only Hope we have for a fallen world: the Almighty God.**I want to add to this - - I am a woman, a Southern woman of grace and with dignity. Please - do NOT assume that this "march" is speaking for me. I like being a woman - with choices, with freedoms, with responsibilities. I am thankful for the men who open doors for me, who bring me coffee, who wait on me, who treat me with respect and with honor. I find there are more that do than those who do not. I also find that when a man is treated with honor and with respect - he is much more likely to treat me with such. So, as others have said it much more eloquently than me - "Don't mess up what I already have!" Thank you.

I have remained quiet for the most part on all things political. 8 years ago, I was vocal - with respect to the office, if not to the man. I will continue to respect the office, and will hold respect in reserve for the man who is in this office. This, however, is my "vocal" piece on all things political this year of 2017. These last few days of the nastiness that has prevailed on Facebook amazes me. Not in a good way, either. But to read these posts and comments that others are making with great anger and yes, judgment. Not only to the man who now holds the office of President of the USA, but to his wife, his children, his family, his friends ... and the anger towards one another. I sit and read these and I shake my head with tears rolling down my cheeks. All I can think is - REALLY? This has become a war that pits brother against brother. Family against family. That divides states. That divides our nation. That is causing harm and hatred and killing. The people who are getting so caught up in this anger, this hatred, are the very ones who had voiced against rebellion and war, and now the ones in the forefront raping and pillaging thru the countrysides. I have known of friends that swore to always and forever - now in the ashes because of the difference in political thoughts, words, and actions. Families that can no longer sit and discuss the events of our world, families that would rather hold to political parties and turn against their blood. Opinions are being raped. Dreams are being dashed upon the rocks. Hope that should be carrying us forward into each day is being relentlessly murdered with words from so many who are only spouting off their opinions, or misrepresenting the facts.This ought not be so. Do you remember 8 years ago? 4 years ago? When the conservatives of our nation rioted because their choice of a man was not elected to the office of President? When the conservatives burned our Flag? When they looted the stores owned by their neighbors and sometimes their families? Do you remember the cursing that the conservatives did when the "wrong man" was elected? Do you remember? NO. Why? BECAUSE IT DID NOT HAPPEN. Is all of this helping? Is it creating the change that is wanted? When will we learn and show a little kindness? When will we respect the differences of our family and our friends allowing love to rule over it all? When will we stop the fighting? I saw a meme on Facebook that said - "Hoping that the President will fail makes as much sense as hoping the pilot of the plane you are on loses control and crashes!" We are all in this together. I survived these last 8 years ... you shall survive this. And if you don't? Perhaps a better place waits. ​Rick would know.